Though we recommend a mix of paid-for and organic advertising strategies to future-proof your business, pay-per-click remains one of the most popular marketing tactics, with billions poured into campaigns on Google and Facebook every year.
With the right strategy, you can reach niche markets, target your competitors’ customers and expand into new territories practically overnight, introducing predictable revenue streams to your company as a result.
However, a growing number of businesses are wasting their PPC budget as cost-per-clicks rise and campaigns tick over unmanaged. Below, we’ve put together some paid advertising statistics that should make you rethink your current strategy, and make some changes…
According to Digital Information World, 47% of internet users have an ad-block on their devices, and though they’re still more prevalent on desktop devices than mobiles, new apps and VPNs are helping to block in-app ads, reducing ads’ effectiveness.
Understanding your audience, how they behave online, and where you can find them is important; there’s little point in launching a campaign if the majority of your digital-savvy users aren’t going to see it.
By the end of 2020, the global mobile internet advertising market will be worth $249 billion, as brands turn their attention to mobile consumers over desktop users. Decide where your target market is – a beauty business might advertise on mobile on celebrity gossip websites, whereas a B2B software development company might stick to desktop ads on LinkedIn.
According to Small Business Trends, 53% of users say they are more likely to look at a native than a banner ad. The days of obnoxious flashing advertising banners are over – be strategic, look for opportunities to promote natively, and focus on partnerships with select publishers rather than leaving Google and Facebook to decide where your ad appears.
Google drives 95% of all paid search ad clicks on mobile, according to Business Insider. The evidence is clear – if you want to advertise on mobile, choose Google. But don’t overlook the others, which may prove cost-effective. Facebook, Amazon, and Bing are worth considering.
It’s a common misconception that users don’t click on advertisements, but Business Wire data suggests that 60% of consumers click on mobile ads at least weekly. The key is to create a relevant advertisement with the right targeting – nail that from the get-go and you will find customers and leads through pay-per-click advertising without breaking the bank.
According to Blue Corona, businesses make around $2 for every $1 they spend on AdWords – which is great news if your profit margins are flexible.
A musical instrument shop that sells pianos for £1,000 needs to spend, on average, at least £500 on AdWords ads for a sale, but if their margins are not at least 50%, then paid advertising won’t be cost-effective, and they should look to methods like search engine optimisation and conversion rate optimisation.
A lot is being made of the growing drive towards video, and though there is no denying that video content can increase engagement and sales, it’s not always the best strategy for PPC. According to Optinmonster, more than four-fifths of consumers mute video ads, so stick to text-based and graphics adverts as they’re cheaper and have a higher rate of engagement.
According to Kleiner Perkins, 26% of Facebook users who click on ads go on to make a purchase. Pair that with a well-optimised landing page, a clear call to action and an attractive introductory offer, and that’s a pretty bullet-proof marketing strategy, provided your cost per click and cost per acquisition remains low. Experiment with targets to maximise your budget.
Smart Insights suggests that ads with titles that are four words or less perform the best, particularly on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Today’s consumers have short attention spans, especially when they’re scrolling through tonnes of content, so cutting out the waffle and having a clear, concise call to action will hook users in from the get-go.
According to Kelsey, phone calls can convert to revenue fifteen times more than web leads, delivering the most valuable conversions. Track calls driven by Facebook and Google Ads to measure your return on investment and make sure that you answer within three rings. If you don’t, as many as 7 in 10 callers will hang up, and you’ll have missed out on a potential sale.
Are you ready to take your pay-per-click advertising to the next level? Reach out to the pay per click advertising specialists at Zudu for a consultation on your paid advertising today.
